If Tigers Can Be Counted...: P Chidambaram's Caste Census Analogy

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Sunday said a caste census was essential if one supported reservations as the exercise would help fix the quota process for different sections of society.

Addressing a press conference at the Congress' Rajiv Bhawan in Raipur, the former Union minister asked if tigers and elephants can be counted, why can't there be a caste census in the country.

"We should know how many people belong to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OBCs, non backward classes. How can we earmark reservations without data? If you support reservation,then you must support caste counting," he said.

"How can there be reservation without caste census? Even for a reservation of 10 per cent for economically weaker sections (EWS), you must count first before you can reserve," he added.

Queried about the need for loan waiver for farmers, Mr Chidambaram said agriculture must be profitable if it has to be sustainable.

"The bulk of citizens of Chhattisgarh are farmers and 32 per cent of the state's GDP comes from farming. Studies show farmers incur debts. It is only when rapid industrialization takes place in the service sector and agriculture becomes a small portion of GDP, you can think of other alternatives," he said.

Agriculture is the mainstay of Chhattisgarh and farmers must be given relief from time to time, he claimed.

The Congress has assessed that farmers are still facing a debt burden and, therefore, a promise has been made of loan waiver if the party retains power in the state, where Assembly polls will be held on November 7 and 17, he said.

If any other state makes such an assessment and believes a loan waiver is required, they too can go for it, he added.

"There is no one model that applies all over India. The only person who believes in one model, one ration card, one election, one this and one that is Narendra Modi. I don't believe in it. Each state has a unique situation, each state requires a different solution," Mr Chidambaram said taking a swipe at the prime minister.

Asked about Naxalism in the state, Chidambaram said the Congress cannot look at the fight against the menace from a party viewpoint, adding that a major part of the credit for the decline in Maoist violence must go to the Bhupesh Baghel government.

"When the Manmohan Singh government was there, we worked with state governments and considerably reduced Naxalite violence. But in the last five years, Naxalite violence further reduced in Chhattisgarh. A major part of the credit must go to the Baghel government for that," he claimed.

There is no "this party or that party" while tackling Naxalism as it is a major problem confronting the nation, he said, adding the fight against the menace would continue if the Congress comes to power at the Centre.

Highlighting the Baghel government's welfare schemes and achievements, Mr Chidambaram said all promises made so far will be fulfilled if the Congress retains power.

The Congress' announcements include procurement of 20 quintals of paddy per acre from farmers, agriculture loan waiver, caste census, houses to 17.50 lakh families under the Chief Minister Housing Scheme, annual incentive of Rs 4000 to tendu leaf collectors. Rs 10 per kilogram additional MSP on minor forest produce, no fees in government schools and colleges from kindergarten to post-graduation, Mr Chidambaram said.

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